Associate of Science - Occupational Therapy Assistant

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program (OTA) was established in 2012 within the School of Health Related Professions (SHRP) in response to a national, state, and local demand for OTA practitioners, supported by a grant from Genesis Rehab.

Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) help people of all ages who are challenged by disability, trauma, and/or the aging process to participate in occupations that are necessary and meaningful for them.

Occupational Therapy Assistants work in healthcare, educational and other community settings in collaboration with a team and under the supervision of an occupational therapist.

The 74-credit joint Associate of Science Degree Program in Occupational Therapy Assistant is offered in collaboration with our Partner Colleges. Students complete at least 32 general education credits at a College Partner as pre-requisite to the 42 credits of professional coursework at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.. Partner Colleges include (see section on Partner Colleges for information):

Camden County College

County College of Morris

Cumberland County College

Hudson County Community College

Mercer County Community College

Ocean County College

Passaic County Community College

Raritan Valley Community College

Salem Community College

Sussex County Community College

Warren County Community College

Thomas Edison State College

The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200 Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org

Graduates of an ACOTE accredited OTA program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states including New Jersey require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.
Please
Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. An individual who is considering entering an OT educational program or who has already entered an OT educational program can have his or her background reviewed by requesting an Early Determination Review. The fee for this review is $100.00.
For information on candidate code of conduct, character, and early review contact:
Credentialing Services at NBCOT
12 S. Summit Avenue, Suite 100
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
(301) 990-7979character.review@nbcot.orgwww.nbcot.org

To learn more about the Associate of Science Degree Program in Occupational Therapy Assistant contact: